Mapleshade's Vengeance Rewrite

Chapter Two

Oh StarClan, make it stop! Mapleshade writhed in agony and sank her claws into the dried moss.

"Relax," Ravenwing instructed, placing one paw on her rippling flank.

You try to relax with this happening to you, Mapleshade wanted to screech at the medicine cat, but she barely had enough breath to survive the spasm that wracked her body. She clenched her jaw and resisted the urge to sink her teeth into Ravenwing's thick-furred black leg.

"It's a tom!" gasped Frecklewish. "Oh, he's magnificent!"

Ravenwing turned to look. Mapleshade sprawled in the nest with her eyes closed, trying not to think about the pain yet to come. Something wet and squirming was shoved against her muzzle. She opened her mouth to protest —and smelled the sweetest scent she had ever known. She breathlessly lifted her head and blinked down at the dark brown bundle of slick fur beside her.

Oh Appledusk, Mapleshade thought through her haze. You have a son. And he's beautiful!

"Lick him, Mapleshade," Ravenwing mewed. "It will help him to breathe."

For a moment Mapleshade wanted to tell the other cats to get out, to leave her alone with this tiny precious creature. Nothing would ever be as special as this heartbeat, when she met her first kit.

But then her body buckled under another wave of pain and she cried out. Ravenwing hastily pulled the kit away. "You take him, Frecklewish," he ordered.

"Gladly," came the she-cat's mew. "Come here, little one. Let's get you clean and dry."

Mapleshade tried to say that she could take care of her own kits, but the spasm grew stronger and suddenly there was another kit lying beside her, his mouth wide open in a soundless mew, his fur patched with tortoiseshell and white like hers.

"Another tom," Ravenwing announced. "You're doing great, Mapleshade." He ran his paws along her body. "One more, and that's it. Come on now, stay focused."

An irresistible longing to be alone with her kits gave Mapleshade a fresh surge of strength and the final kit slithered out almost at once.

"A she-cat!" purred Ravenwing. "Smaller than her brothers, but in excellent shape. Your turn to take over, Mapleshade." He nudged all three kits into the curve of Mapleshade's belly.

She propped herself up and twisted around to gaze at them in dazed astonishment. I did it, Appledusk! Two sons and a daughter!

"They are gorgeous," Frecklewish whispered, her voice husky with emotion.

Ravenwing nodded. "You did a great job, Mapleshade. We'll leave you alone to rest, but I'll come back with some herbs for you after sunhigh. Do you feel okay?" There was a flash of concern in his dark blue eyes, and Mapleshade felt an exhausted surge of sympathy toward the young medicine cat. He had been in sole charge of ThunderClan for just two moons since the death of Oatspeckle, and this was one of the first deliveries he'd had to supervise.

"I couldn't be better," she told him tiredly. Her throat felt dry and sore. "Could I just have some water, please?"

"I'll fetch it," Frecklewish offered, hopping out of the nest and vanishing through the brambles.

Ravenwing watched her leave. "It's so strange," he commented. "It's like your kits gave her life again after her brother's death."

Mapleshade felt a prick of discomfort at his words. She decided to ignore him and buried her muzzle in the soft, damp fur of her kits. "These kits are my gift to the whole of ThunderClan," she murmured. "I will thank StarClan for them every day for the rest of my life."